Day 19/20: Tues 29th/30th July
Sometimes tough but fascinating and unforgettable and meeting wonderful people!
If someone were to ask me what the best part of this journey has been, my answer would be immediate: meeting interesting people. Throughout the trip, I have encountered some truly wonderful characters, many of whom appear in my daily diary. Even during the final hours of the journey, in Saint-Malo, I continued to meet people whose kindness, energy and friendship will remain among my strongest memories of what has been a remarkable adventure—even if it was gruelling at times.
Last night, I had dinner with Don from Australia, a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable companion. He discovered cycling later in life, and whenever he and his wife visit relatives in the UK, he takes the opportunity to escape across the Channel and explore France by bicycle. I think he has now become as much of a Francophile as I am. Here we are, enjoying a wonderful fruits de mer dinner in a local Saint-Malo restaurant.
I was also delighted to meet up again with Greg and Joy, who I met on the ferry out to Bilbao on 9 July. They are wonderful people, and I greatly enjoyed their company whenever our paths crossed. We kept bumping into one another along the route, and it seemed entirely fitting that we should finally come together in Saint-Malo to celebrate the end of our respective journeys.
This morning, while having breakfast at the hotel before leaving for the ferry, I was fortunate enough to meet another remarkable person: the historical novelist Griff Hosker. Since retiring from teaching in the north-east of England, Griff has written an astonishing 204 books. At 76, he remains full of enthusiasm and creative energy. In some ways, I felt we had something in common: he continues to devote himself to the marathon task of writing historical novels, while I am still fortunate enough to have the energy to undertake marathon cycle rides.
One of the strongest impressions I will take from this journey is the extraordinary kindness of strangers. When I arrived in Saint-Malo, I discovered that my hotel had nowhere secure to store my bicycle. An older gentleman sitting in the hotel lounge overheard my predicament and came over to offer me the key to his own garage, where I could safely leave the bike. It was an exceptionally generous gesture from someone who had never met me before. Thank you, Francis Caradec. There was kindness from the younger generation too. While I was cycling through the town, I apparently dropped the piece of paper containing the address of the garage. A boy of perhaps seven or eight years old saw what had happened and pedalled furiously to catch up with me. He told me that I had lost the paper and showed me where it had fallen. Thanks to him, I was able to cycle back and retrieve it from the middle of a busy road. What a determined and thoughtful young man he was.
I am now aboard the ferry heading home, reflecting on everything that has happened. I am looking forward to meeting the Ukrainian Hearts group in Lewes and reporting back on the journey. Over the next couple of weeks, before the fundraising closes, I will also be publicising the ride and encouraging any remaining contributions.
Naturally, I am disappointed that I was unable to complete the full 800 miles I had originally planned. The extreme heat and the illness I experienced along the way left me in a very poor condition for a while. Also the French holiday season also made hotels and other accommodation more expensive than planned and difficult to find. Nevertheless, it has been a magnificent journey. The miles, the heat and the difficult days will gradually fade, but the people I met and the kindness they showed me will remain. I sincerely hope that I will stay in touch with many of the remarkable people who helped to make this adventure so memorable.